Teachers & Staff

Meet our teachers and staff and see what makes Wilkinson special.

Our Teachers

Carrie Munson

Faculty Lead & Teacher, 4th & 5th Grade Teacher

Carrie Munson is our wonderful Faculty Lead and 4th & 5th Grade Teacher. Carrie believes learning is a social endeavor. Her classroom is lively, as students work together to grow ideas through shared experience and reflection.

She fell in love with teaching as a newlywed in Germany, when she volunteered in the Department of Defense School’s Child Development Center. She discovered children were a tremendous source of energy and inspiration and has been following her passion in education ever since.

Carrie has taught at various schools in California and Colorado and has specialized in English language acquisition. She holds a Master of Education from the University of Oklahoma, a Master of Arts from the University of Denver, and a Bachelor of Science from Wake Forest University.

Carrie keeps busy at home with two teenage sons, two crazy dogs, and one super sweet ball python. She also enjoys indoor rock climbing, Spartan obstacle races, reading, and cooking.

Katie Marquis

Teacher, Kindergarten and 1st Grade

Katie Marquis grew up in Southern California near Venice beach, where she spent her time swimming and life guarding. She attended Humboldt State University where she fell in love with nature. After college, she moved to Half Moon Bay and began working at Wilkinson School.

She began as an after school teacher and went on to become the kindergarten teacher. Katie has been on the Wilkinson staff for 11 years. While working at Wilkinson, Katie fell in love with roller skating and began playing competitive roller derby. She took a teaching hiatus for a few years and played roller derby all over the world, everywhere from Paris to Montreal. She loves to inspire children to find their passion just as she found hers.

When Katie is not teaching you can find her shopping at the farmers market or on her skates at the skatepark. She also loves reading a good book and snuggling her cat.

Jessica Giovannoni

Teacher, 2nd and 3rd Grade

Jessica Giovannoni is our 2nd & 3rd Grade Teacher at Wilkinson School, and she has a creative style of teaching academics, helping students express themselves, build self-esteem, and develop a respect for themselves, others, and the environment.

She has a genuine love of young children and knew from an early age that she would most likely become a teacher. She enjoys introducing students to plant and animal life through various activities and encourages children to lead a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle.

Jessica was born in San Francisco and raised primarily in the nearby town of Pacifica, California. She began her education at the age of three at the Children’s School in Park Pacifica. She later went back to volunteer at the school as a sixth grader and ultimately began her career there in early education at the age of 22. She graduated from St. Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco and later the University of San Francisco. Jessica taught young children in both Pacifica and Millbrae for nine years before becoming the kindergarten teacher at St. Cornelius School in Richmond, California. She left the St. Cornelius community after five years to have her baby girl and then joined the Wilkinson staff.

Jessica lives in Moss Beach with her 4-year-old daughter, Emma, whom she adores. You will often see Miss Jessica out and about taking Emma on bike or scooter rides down to the marine reserve nearby. In her free time, she loves visiting her extended family in Hawaii and enjoying outdoor activities, especially water skiing and snow skiing.

Kimberly Gates

Teacher, Middle School

Kimberly Gates is the Middle School Teacher at Wilkinson School. From her first day, she knew she was working at a very special school, a place where relationships and experience are at the heart of each day.

She loves the relationships she is able to formulate with his students in a multi-age classroom and the freedom she’s allowed at the school to bring new ideas and infuse some excitement to the curriculum. Having the opportunity to teach nearly all subjects makes every day different, and she is thankful to be working with such a small, delightful group of students, acting as both a teacher and a mentor.

Kimberly joined Wilkinson School in 2018. She has also been actively involved in developing programs for students and teachers outside the classroom, especially programs focused on social emotional development and educational technology. Kimberly holds a Master of Education from the University of California, Davis, and a Bachelor’s in Liberal Arts with a minor in Math from California State University, Sacramento. When not in her classroom, you might find Kimberly running the Coastal Trail, playing board games, or deeply engrossed in a Brandon Sanderson novel.

Andrea Caturegli

Teacher, Art

Andrea Caturegli studied fine arts at San Francisco Academy of Art and Cornish College of the Arts, where she developed her skills in painting, sculpture and print making. Andrea has been an art teacher at Fox Elementary in Belmont as well as the summer art director and teacher at Twin Pines Park, also in Belmont.

Isabel Mason

Teacher, Garden Science/Marketing and Community Engagement Manager

Isabel Mason holds a B.S. in Sustainable Agriculture in Education from the University of California, Berkeley where she developed her passion for growing food and inspiring young people to do the same. Isabel has extensive experience as an outdoor educator for nonprofits, sleepaway camps, and schools. When she isn't in the garden, you can find Isabel in the office as our Marketing and Community Engagement Manager.

Alongside garden work, Isabel has conducted outreach for multiple nonprofits and recently responsible for developing and implementing marketing strategies at an environmentally and socially aware food company, has coordinated events, grants, and donor development for a non-profit, and has coordinated logistics and communications for education programs that engage under served global communities to address environmental issues. Isabel brings a passion for educating children and a warmth to engage the community. She is so excited to spend time in her outdoor classroom!

Kristin Simons

Learning Specialist

Kristin is originally from the Bay Area and received her Bachelor’s in Special Education and Psychology from Gonzaga University in Spokane. After college, she lived in Alaska as a Jesuit volunteer. She received her Masters in Education from SNHU in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on the LD Learner.

Kristin has enjoyed working with students with learning differences since 2004 and created a blog called Demystify Dyslexia to support families with understanding LD. She has taught at Charles Armstrong School and eventually started a private practice working one on one with students with dyslexia.

While in Juneau, AK she met her husband, and they moved to San Francisco in 2004. They now have two children. When she is not teaching you might find her on a spin bike at the Y or hiking in the woods. My family loves to camp, mountain bike, ski, and travel in the summer. She loves working at Wilkinson and is happy to be part of this special community!

Norma Acosta

Narnia: After School Manager and Teaching Assistant

Norma Acosta leads our extensive afterschool program and is the teaching assistant for the kindergarten program. She began working as our preschool teacher more than a decade ago in the Early Childhood Center. Later she became the teaching assistant in kindergarten.

Norma has a deep affection for children, which shows in the relationships she has with her students. She feels it is important to teach little ones basic life skills so they can thrive.

Originally from Alisco, Mexico, she then moved to Half Moon Bay, where she started an in-home daycare. Norma is happily married and has two children, Angie and Diego. She refers to them as her sun and moon. Her favorite pastimes are listening to instrumental music and cooking with her kids.

Kristin Douty

Teaching Assistant

Kristin Douty is the teaching assistant. She joined the Wilkinson School community in 2009 when her daughter became a student here, and she joined the staff the following year in 2010. She has a B.A. in Linguistics from Scripps College in Claremont, CA.

Her career in education began with four years as a substitute teacher in Southern California where she gained experience with all grade levels, from kindergarten through high school. She discovered a particular joy in helping young students develop their love of learning while also rekindling a passion for children’s literature. On moving to the Bay Area, Kristin secured a position as an instructional assistant in special education at Woodside Elementary School.

Kristin grew up in Southern California, but found her true home here on the Coastside. When she’s not in the classroom, Kristin enjoys beach combing, crafting, or baking with her daughter, photography, and reading. She says that Wilkinson is a perfect fit for her and for her daughter.

Our Staff

Summer Hagedorn

Operations Lead

Summer Hagedorn has more than 20 years of experience in accounting and management, with 10 years in public accounting and nine years at Novogradac as a manager. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in accounting from George Fox University as well as a California CPA license.

Our Teachers Set Us Apart

Great teachers come to Wilkinson because we value them. Our small class size lets teachers reach students as the unique, individual learners they are.

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